§ 91. Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any changes have been made in the last six months to the Government's projected aid budgets to eastern Europe, Africa and Asia.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn the Autumn Statement, the Government announced increases in the overseas aid programme of £75 million in 1990–91 and £105 million in 1991–92. Even allowing for new multilateral commitments, these increases mean that our aid to Asia and Africa over the period 1990–91 to 1991–92 will be higher than previously planned.
Within the last six months, the Government have also increased their assistance for eastern Europe. They have doubled their know-how fund for Poland from £25 million to £50 million, contributed ․100 million to the Polish stabilisation fund, are identifying a Polish agricultural project worth up to £15 million and have introduced a £25 million know-how fund for Hungary to start from 1 April this year. This substantial package of assistance for eastern Europe is additional to and separate from the overseas aid programme for developing countries.
Furthermore, as I informed the House on 22 January at column 601, the know-how fund will be extended to cover other countries of eastern Europe once they are firmly committed to reform, and substantial additional resources will be made available to the fund for this purpose.